• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The stench of sulfur dioxide emitted from Mt. Kanlaon hit some barangays of Canlaon City, Negros Oriental as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) recorded on Monday, Oct. 28, the fifth highest volcanic sulfur dioxide emission since the instrumental gas monitoring started.
Resident volcanologist Mari-Andylene Quintia said on Tuesda, Oct. 29, that the smell of sulfur was reported by residents of barangays Masulog, Panubigan and Binalbagan as well as villages in the Canlaon City proper.
This prompted Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas to suspend classes due to severe weather condition.
He also advised teaching and non- teaching personnel not to report to work.
Cardenas asked the Department of Education and private school administrators to implement alternative learning strategies to minimize academic disruptions.
In an advisory, PHIVOLCS reported that volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas emission from the summit crater of Mt. Kanlaon averaged 10,047 tons per day based on Oct. 28 measurements.
“Kanlaon has been degassing increased concentrations of volcanic SO2 this year at an average rate of 1,273 tonnes per day prior to the June 3 eruption, but emission since then has been particularly elevated at a current average of 4,210 tonnes per day,” it added.
As to the threat of lahar flows due to heavy rains in the past weeks, Quintia said they have not monitored any, adding that volcanic ash deposits during the June 3 phreatic eruption, had already been washed out by rains.
Quintia said that Alert Level 2 still prevails over Kanlaon, which indicates increasing unrest.
PHIVOLCS also strongly advised the public to be ready and vigilant and to avoid entry into the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone. | GB
